21 January 2010

I’ve been wearing cycling socks almost exclusively since about 2003. Many organized rides offer commemorative socks, booths at rides typically offer irregular socks at discount prices, and some bike shops have great bargain bins full of discontinued cycling socks.Cycling socks come in all sorts of unusual colors and patterns, they feature undeniable character, and they keep the feet warm in winter and cool in summer. Because they wick moisture, they dry quickly when you have to wash them in a nearby river or in a bucket of dishwater after 14 dusty miles of youth pioneer trekking, and you can wear them again the next day.

So I didn’t need to make a pair of socks. I didn’t need another pair of socks, period!But the colors of self-striping sock yarn are just so darned addictive. Sock-knitting is one of THE big things these days. Plus, it didn’t hurt that the most-sought-after imported sock yarn was on sale for 40% off...

I like to be different, though. So after rifling through scores of books of patterns, knitting magazines and websites, I decided my socks could not be knitted. They had to be crocheted. Just because.

I’d never made a pair of socks before, but I grew up making up my own patterns for knitted and crocheted booties because I couldn’t afford patterns way back then, when yarn was 47 cents a skein. I’ve also made my fair share plus a little more of bear legs, which are nothing more than miniature socks stuffed and sewed shut. Nevertheless, I thought crocheting a pair of socks for my own feet would be a fun challenge.And fun it was! I finished the first sock in just four days of commute time. The second sock was finished a week later. And they fit!

My handmade socks are almost too pretty to wear. And they are 100% unique, even though I used a widely published pattern.

The yarn colorway I used included brown, and I decided I didn’t want brown in my socks. So I cut it off and wound it into tiny balls. Brown goes great on bears, so I could use up the undesirable sock color making stuffed animals, if there was enough. There was!!!

I also decided after finishing the top part of the first sock that I didn’t like the crocheted cuff in the pattern picture or the feel of it as I began the stitching. So unraveled the cuff and pulled out my double-pointed knitting needles. I knitted an improvised ribbed cuff on my crocheted lace socks. I think they look great.

I loved working with this yarn. I loved watching the color slip through my fingers. I kept hoping I would have enough left over to make a snowflake. A colorful snowflake?!? You bet! In fact, there might just be a rainbow-hued blizzard in Colorado this weekend!

Hear Him

12 More Weeks!

Welcome!

This is where you'll find me when I'm not wishing upon stars, chasing stars, stepping on stars or making stars...

Not All Are Invited...

If the bunnies or rattlesnakes ever figure out how to get into the feeder, we're in trouble!

Heart Strings

Greg and Susan long for a child. Abused and abandoned five-year-old Gene needs a new family, The match of family to child seems perfect, but the past refuses to let go. Find out what it takes to rebuild a broken family and to heal damaged trust.

Contributors

Webmaster

flake at snowcatcherphotos dot com

Thought for the Day

2020 on Two Wheels

Bicycle miles so far this year:

Peeps

Heels Over Head

The story of a serious automobile accident 16 years ago and how I finally got back behind the wheel, after battling six months of crippling fear, to continue the photographic journeys you enjoy every weekday here on Snowcatcher.

Copyright

All content of this website, including text and photographs, is the sole property of Deborah and Brett Atkinson (unless otherwise stated). Nothing may be copied or reproduced in any manner without written consent. All rights reserved.

Dreamland

Disclosure of Material Connection

Snowcatcher does not receive compensation for content on this blog, and Snowcatcher has no material connection to brands, topics and/or products mentioned herein. Snowcatcher has no monetary interest in products or services featured, photographed or used here, although Snowcatcher does independently sell Snowcatcher photography and crafts via third-party websites.

Text Relief

Privacy Policy

The Lizard and Snowcatcher do not collect or share personal information with third parties and do not access or store visitor information collected via Blogger or Google Analytics. When hosting a giveaway, information collected to enable delivery is not stored.

When soliciting donations for the National Multiple Sclerosis Society, the Davis Phinney Foundation or the Michael J. Fox Foundation, we do not collect or store information collected by the NMSS, DPF or MJFF.

We do not post paid third-party advertising and are not aware of any cookies or tracking technology used by such advertisers on this website. We are not responsible for content illegally plagiarized from this website and republished elsewhere but do enact takedown procedures when such illegally plagiarized content is reported or discovered.

We do require commenters to sign in, but only to prevent spam and protect readers from potentially harmful links; no visitor information required by sign-in process is collected or stored by The Lizard or Snowcatcher. We maintain security via secure socket provided by our web host. If changed at any time, this Privacy Policy will be updated in this space.